Estate Administration
Any of the heirs to an estate can administer the estate with the consent of the other heirs. If there are no next of kin willing and able to handle this responsibility then the Public Guardian and Trustee as Official Administrator may administer the estate. The Public Guardian and Trustee will not usually administer estates with assets less than $5,000 as this is neither practical nor cost effective.
Administering an estate can be a lengthy process with many steps. These include:
- Making funeral arrangements
- Identifying, securing and dealing with assets
- Obtaining Letters Probate (where there is a will) or Letters of Administration from the Court
- Identifying and paying valid debts and claims against the estate
- Filing tax returns
- Dealing with any legal issues that arise
- Identifying, locating and distributing the balance of the estate to the rightful heirs and/or beneficiaries.
14 Harvard St • Phone: (508) 754-3291 • March 10, 2010